On Ice
by brandy mallory
Summary: Haruhi has to learn to skate, but who's going to teach her? kyo/har
1. Learning how to skate

A/N: I thought I'd start a wintery time fic. A mulitchaptered one at that, to get me back in the saddle. So i came up with this (actually the idea was a crack idea that i gave chelsea, than manged to twist it to be desent) It;s not nearly my best work, sorry about that, the 2 year writers block can't be fixed in a night. Anyway, thanks for reading. Not sure where this will go *do i ever?* but i hope you enjoy. Reviews welcome, and remember to think before you flame!

* * *

"I have to what?"

It was winter in Japan, and the Ouran Host Club, like they did every Thursday afternoon, was going over the up coming weeks plans.

"Ice skate," Hunny said happily from his place in front of a cake, quoting what Kyoya had said seconds earlier.

The twins leaned in on either side of Haruhi, "What's wrong? Never skated before?" They said in perfect unison.

"Well, I have…" Haruhi said with a sigh, thinking back to grade school.

_*Haruhi flashback*_

"_But dad, I don't want to wear this outfit, it's too sparkly."_

"_Tisk tisk Haruhi," her father said, pushing her out onto the ice, "but you look so pretty."_

"_Well," her father said in the hospitable an hour later, "At least you looked adorable." _

_*end Haruhi flashback*_

"But I'm horrible at it…"

Tamaki got up in a very Tamaki way, waving his arms about madly, "Well than my beautiful daughter, I will teach you the way of the marvelous sport that only the beautiful like us can do! Think of the beauty when two bodies as perfect as yours and mine dance like fire on the ice!"

"NO WAY!" The natural rookie shouted, running away from the host club king.

The twins joined in the chasing, demanding that they be the ones to teach her how to play hockey and other fun ice sports.

"That's enough," Kyoya said, his voice causing everyone to freeze, "Haruhi will be taught by a professional every morning for the next week, starting Saturday."

Haruhi's eyes widened, fearing the price, but Kyoya, reading her mind added, "But since it's a club activity, this time the club will pay the bill."

She took a sigh of relief.

"But as for the rental fees on the skates…"

* * *

And so, Saturday morning came, and Haruhi walked outside her apartment, dressed in the warmest coat she owned, mittens and a cap that her father had forced on her, only to be meet by a waiting limo.

"Ma'am," The driver said, opening the door for her.

She climbed in, surprised that the limo was, for once, empty. "Where are we going?"

"We have instructions to take you to the skating rink."

"Oh." She said, gazing out the window as the still dark buildings passed by, wondering what skating rink she'd be learning at. The public outdoor rink seemed out of the question, but she'd assume Kyoya would simply rent one of the smaller public rinks for her.

So when she walked into the obviously privately owned, overly furnished and exquisitely decorated lobby of the rink, she couldn't help but be in awe.

"Hot chocolate Miss Fujioka?"

"This way to the private changing room Miss Fujioka."

"Do you need assistance Miss Fujioka?"

Haruhi jumped, "No that's ok…" She looked over to the open picture window that had a full view of the actually ice, where someone, presumably her teacher, was practicing moves she couldn't even begin to describe. From this distance she couldn't make out a face, but he looked to be around her age. He was though, in one word, beautiful on the ice.

"I bet he's some rich bastard like the rest of them," she muttered with a sigh before she was whisked away to the change rooms.

By the time she finally arrived rink side the skating man was gone. Looking at her watch she noted it to be just a little before seven, giving her a minute to attempt this ice skating thing before her lesson was actually supposed to start.

She took a careful, step onto the ice, holding tightly to the railing that surrounded the rink. Her legs were wobbling, and her heart pounding fast, remembering the last time she had tried this particular sport she had come home with a cast and stitches.

Taking another step she slipped, her face headed straight into the hard glass when, "You know, starting without your teacher is probably not the smartest thing for one to do."

Haruhi yelped as she realized that around her chest where two very strong hands that had caught her from doom. She yelped again when the hands pulled her up, against a warm, firm chest and a familiar voice whispered in her ear, "That'll be an extra thousand yen added to your debit for making me start the lesson early."

* * *

A/N: oh a depressingly short chapter, sorry, but i wanted to end it here. Can you guess who Haruhi's skating teacher is? I might redo this chapter later, seeing as I really don't like it. But unitll next time, Ta!


	2. Step 1: Meet your Teacher

A/N: WOW! Thanks for all the positive reviews! Most of you were dead on with your guesses! Anyway, this chapter will seem VERY OOC for a certain host member, but I plan to explain that in time.

MOST importantly, I need to make this known. I am a HORRIBLE skater. I mean horrible as in I can't walk with skates guards on off the ice. Heck, I have problems walking around normally *I am lack a sense of balance* So all this stuff I pretty much have to make up off the top of my head, and from internet articles. So please, if you skate yourself and something I write is off skating wise, don't be afraid to tell me!

* * *

Step 1: Meet your teacher

"That'll be an extra thousand yen added to your debit for making me start the lesson early."

"Kyoya-sempai?" She said in surprise, managing to spin around to see him, "What are you?"

She took in his appearance for a second, skates on, thick, but tighter fitting pants, a light sweater and a strange absence of his glasses. But that wasn't the only thing that was off.

"Sempai, it's 7."

"So?"

"In the am."

"Your point Haruhi?"

"How are you awake?"

Kyoya chuckled, the not the snickering chuckle he normal had, but an amused, almost kind chuckle, "That's for me to know, and you to wonder about."

He pulled her to the center of the rink, where he, after letting her get balanced, skated back a couple feet to give her room.

"The original instructor I had hired cancelled last night. His daughter got into an accident," He explained, "Unfortunately I couldn't find a substitute that was up to my standards to fill in at such sort notice."

Haruhi nodded, at a loss of words, as he started to skate a slow circle around her, moving so graceful and easily it looked as though he was merely floating.

"So the only real option was for me to teach you myself. Which actually saves the club money, seeing as this is my private rink anyway."

"Private rink?" She muttered as her eye twitched, "Rich bastard…"

"So," He came to a stop in front of her, "Let's start with the basics." He grabbed her hands, which surprised her enough that she almost fell to the ice again, "First off Haruhi, you need to relax."

"Relax?" she said with a dumb look on her face.

"Close your eyes," He said simply, closing his own, "Picture yourself not as someone who is working against the ice, but instead with it."

Haruhi's face stayed in a stupid expression before breaking out into laughter.

Kyoya opened his eyes to look at her, "What's so funny?"

"You! It's just that," She continued to laugh, "Those words don't sound like anything you'd ever say sempai."

The senior smiled, "But it got you to relax didn't it?"

Haruhi looked up at him, realizing that what he said make sense this time. A trick?

"Now, before we go any further though," He dropped to one knee, and grabbed her foot as if to inspect, "You need to learn how to properly tie your skates." He stood again, grabbing her hands and pulling her back to the edge of the rink, helping her off the ice and onto a bench.

"For one," He said, "You picked out the wrong size."

"But these ones feel fine!" She protested.

He quickly undid the laces, beckoning a nearby servant to get the right size, "Skates shouldn't feel lose, they should be tight, otherwise when you fall you could easily twist your ankle." He pulled the first one off her foot, and moving to the second, "It doesn't mean they have to be uncomfortable," pulling off the second one, he grabbed the new skates from a servant, "Secondly," He slipped these ones on for her, "You tied them to lose."

"Sempai I can-"

"You're tying metal blades to your feet, not commoner shoes," He interrupted, clearly ignoring her as he laced up her skates, reminding her of the fathers she saw at the rinks sometimes, except she was not five and he was not her father, "You don't want them to slip off."

"There," He stated, standing up and wiping off his hands, "That's how it should have been before you even attempted going out on the ice."

The first year starred up in wonder at the second year, "Can I ask a question?"

"I guess so."

"Who are you and what have you done with Kyoya?"

"Once again, that's for me to know and you to wonder about."

At that time a maid came by, offering hot chocolate. Kyoya accepted, deciding to take a short break before teaching Haruhi anymore.

He sat down beside her, sipping at his drink, "You said you've skated before?"

"Once, when I was little. I broke my arm and my noise."

"Aww."

"I never would have taken you as one who skates," Haruhi said suddenly, blowing on her hot chocolate.

The dark haired boy smiled, taking another sip before answering, "When we were little my mother insisted that each of us do at least one sport or physical activity. She used to say there was more to life than just our studies and our family business."

"Smart women," Haruhi commented.

"Indeed. I chose skating."

"Why skating?"

"I don't remember." He answered bluntly, "It's just what I choose."

"I see. You know sempai; you're a lot different here."

"Here?"

"At this rink. You're still obsessed with money and perfection. But at the same time you're more… open."

"That's an interesting opinion."

He stood back up, giving his empty cup to an attendant and offering his hand, "Well, come on Haruhi, we're wasting time just sitting here. I only have a week to teach you how to skate, and you have a lot to learn."

She grabbed his hand, and thought, as he pulled her pack to the ice, that indeed she did have a lot to learn. Not just about skating, but about the shadow king himself.

"So what do I learn first?"

"How to be yourself," He stated simply, "How to be relaxed. There is no pretending on the ice. Nothing to help you hide your flaws. It's you and the ice."

"Once again, that doesn't sound like something Kyoya sempai would say," Haruhi muttered.

"Now stop muttering under your breath or I'll start charging for these lessons."

"But that does."

* * *

A/N: Anyway, this chapter turned out better, but shorter, than planned. Yay for Kyoya being so OOC. I'm naming my new Kyoya: Cute Kyo! Drink him up folks, he probably won't last long knowing me! Oh and my N key isn't working so well, so if there's a word missing an N please inform me!

Thanks for reading! Mallory, out!


	3. Step 2: Moving away from the rail

A/N: Thanks again for all the reviews and alerts! *smiles* Anyway, I've developed a new writing plan that works wonders. See I load an episode of anime, and while its loading I type until I am bored, than watch the episode, than write more while the next one is loading! *brilliant* Anyway, time for another chapter, Cute Kyo is still here for at least this chappy. I actually have this fic storyboarded out (something I rarely do) so I actually know how it ends and such!

I don't own Ouran, otherwise episode 8 would have ended MUCH, MUCH differently and every manga cover would have Kyoya on it.

Enjoy!

* * *

Step 2: Moving away from the rail

Sunday morning was a stiff and painful process. Kyoya was a demanding teacher, even with his mysterious new attitude. And the fact that she spent most of the time clinging to the railing while he tried to pull her off of it probably didn't make it any better.

She was seriously wondering why she hadn't asked for the lessons to be in the evening. Not only was getting up painful, but getting up at 6, on a day she usually reserved to sleep in, made it a hundred times worse.

"If the low blood pressure demon lord can do it, so can you," she muttered on the way to the bathroom.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the wealth chain, Kyoya flopped himself, rather ungracefully, out of bed.

Now it was no big secret that Kyoya was not a morning person. He'd admit this flaw in his design to anyone who inquired. Only one thing made him happy in the morning, one thing. But the shower, breakfast and car ride in between were still like living hell.

So, when his alarm refused to turn off he threw it across the room barely missing a maid who was unlucky enough to be sent in to the lair to ask him what he would like to eat.

He muttered something about waffles and gave the maid a glare that meant 'And they better be tasty or someone will die'.

The shower was just enough to make him at least aware of the basics around him as he stumbled away from the breakfast table to the front door. It was a good thing he packed all of his stuff before, including the written plan of how to pull Haruhi away from the railing, which he would review in the car.

The plan was quiet simple. And if it didn't work he'd revert to promises of the lowering of her debit. Chances were that she'd do something to make him raise it back up by the end of the week anyway, so no profit lost.

Her face flashed in his mind.

"_You're still obsessed with money and perfection. But at the same time you're more… open."_

Leaning back into the leather seats he closed his eyes.

"_You don't always have to be an __Ohtori son my dear. Sometimes it's ok to just be Kyoya."_

"_But mother, what if father doesn't like just Kyoya, what if no one does?"_

At the rink Haruhi had arrived surprisingly early. Early enough that she actaully go to see Kyoya come in.

As he walked in he looked mad, grumpy and all together just like Kyoya normally does in the mornings. He blew past her with a grunt and made his way to the change room.

"Ok," She muttered, "At least that's the Kyoya I'm used too."

But, once again, when she made her way to the ice, she found that someone else had taken over her sampai's body.

"Good morning Haruhi," He said with a smile that could top Tamaki's any day, "Now I've been thinking about how to get you off that rail you're in love with and I think I've come up with a good plan."

"Eh?" She said, tilting her head to the side as he pulled her, once again, on to the ice.

"Have you ever played the game Truth or Dare?"

"Eh?"

"Well it's sort of like that but different," His glasses were once again missing, and the sparkle in his eyes was almost to much for her to take in, "Basically every time you take a step away from the rail and make an honest attempt at balancing on you own, you can ask me a question and I will answer it."

She stared at him for a moment before asking, "Was this a Tamaki idea? Because it doesn't sound like anything that would ever come out of your mouth."

Kyoya laughed. And Haruhi was now convinced he was on drugs of some sort. Kyoya Ohtori did not make up games of truth. Nor did he laugh so… now what's the word, non-evily?

"Shall we begin or not?" He asked, grabbing a can of spray paint off a nearby rail and proceeding to quickly paint lines on the ice, about two feet apart, the last one at the middle of the rink. "Every time you reach a line, you get to ask a question. But! If you fall or go backwards, I get to ask you one. Got it?"

And so the game begins.

Haruhi makes it to line 1.

"Ah, that's the stuff! What's your question?" Kyoya asked, skating along beside her incase she fell.

"How did you come up with this ridiculous game?" She asked, grabbing onto his arm for a second to prevent a fall.

"Tamaki was ranting about commoner games last night on the phone," A small hint of annoyance in his eyes.

Line 2.

"Does Tamaki call you every night?" She tried holding out her arms to keep herself centered.

"Usually three times per day, actually."

Line 3.

"Doesn't it annoy you?"

"Well of course." He said with a laugh, "Wouldn't it annoy anyone?"

Line 4.

"Than why do you answer the phone?" She brought her arms down, making an attempt at looking less robotic.

"Cause he's my friend."

Haruhi trips.

"Ouch." Kyoya had caught her just in time so that only her knees got bumped.

"My turn I see." He said, pulling her up, "What are you doing after this?"

"Landry." She replied, returning to her arms stretched out method.

Haruhi makes it to line 5.

"How long have you been skating?" She asked.

"Since I was four."

Line 6.

"Have you ever competed?" Her arms were getting heavy, so she brought them down again.

"When I was younger, I was on my way to making it onto the Olympic team."

Line 7.

"So why didn't you?"

"My father…" Kyoya stopped, his mind drifting.

"_Father, I wish to try out for the Worlds."_

"_I've had enough of this; you will not proceed with this nonsense."_

"_But father."_

"_Skating is not something with merits. Skating will not bring in money; it will not help your family. You are a third son. Your job is to support your brothers. Not carry out some whim of your mothers. I should have stopped this nonsense years ago." _

"Kyoya?"

"My father didn't wish me to." He replied softly, as she turned to look at him.

Haruhi trips once again.

"How do you feel about the host club members?" He asked, his mind still wandering.

"Huh?" She almost stumbled, but grabbed his arm once again to steady herself.

"Do I need to repeat myself?"

"No. I like everyone I guess. Tamaki might be annoying, but he's fun at times. And the twins are like brothers to me. Honey is too cute to not like and I always feel safe with Mori."

"And me?"

"You only get one question sempai." She said, almost tripping again, and grabbing his hand.

Haruhi makes it line 8.

"Have you always not been a morning person?"

"Actually when I was young I used to love the mornings. Than I guess things changed."

Haruhi makes it to line 9.

"What changed?"

"I guess I didn't have anything to look forward to when I woke up." He let go of her hand, thinking she would do fine without it.

Haruhi slipped.

"So, back my last question Haruhi," He pulled her up once again, "What do you think of me?"

"You're a riddle sempai. I thought I had you figured out until yesterday. And now I'm not sure what I think."

"Ah."

Line 10, the finish line.

"Last question you get Haruhi, make it good."

"Do you have anything to look forward to know?"

"I have-" Kyoya was cut off by his butler, who was yelling from the side of the rink.

"Master Ohtori! You have an important call from your father."

The young boy sighed, "I'm sorry Haruhi, we'll have to end the lesson here. I'll see you tomorrow before school."

He started skating to the exit when Haruhi grabbed his wrist.

"Wait!"

He turned to look at her, "What?"

She blushed a little, embarrassed, "Can you help me off the ice again?"

* * *

a/n: And that's another chapter done! *yay for me* sorry for utter lack of description in that last bit, but I like dialog.

Truthfully I rather doubt you'd ever use that sort of method to help people gain their balance. But it worked for what I wanted.

*stretch* now I am off to finish watching Hayate Combat Butler. Thank you for reading!

Mallory Out!


	4. Step 3: Falling

A/N: Thanks once again for all the reviews, alerts and favs! Sorry for the lateness, and I hate to go back to my old excuses, but my wrists are losing strength again and so typing takes a bit longer than it should, since I have to take breaks a lot! PLUS the fact I FINALLY got my Host Club DVD's in, and Chelsea got Tales of Symphonia 2. Life is sweet.

Well than, I know you're all a little worried about Kyoya, but don't worry, he'll be normal by the end of the chapter, you just have to deal with a little OOC first. And some happiness I like to call "yay". I hope you enjoy! Oh and in case you haven't realized it, _Italics means flashback!_

* * *

Step 3: Falling

"I hate him!" Haruhi screamed, throwing her bag across the empty street, snow coating it almost as soon as it hit the ground. The same snow that was slowly coating her, "I hate him!"

The moments leading up to this second start a mere twelve hours before, when she had woken up for her skating lesson with Kyoya.

The clock read 5:45, leaving her a whole 15 minutes left to stay in the warmth of her bed. Staring at the ceiling she sighed, thinking about her previous lessons with the host clubs shadow king. Wondering what he was about to say before he was called away. Wondering why she was actually a little excited to be gong today. As if she wanted to see him.

Wanted to see him? Why in the world would she want to see the man who reminded her only of the power of wealth and her debit?

Maybe it's a crush?

The second the thought came into her mind she banished it away. A crush? On Kyoya? She had to be still asleep, because that was impossible.

Or maybe just, highly implausible?

She sighed, sitting up. Hopefully, she thought to herself, this week would hurry up and end.

Kyoya was up at 5:45 as well. A very unlikely thing to happen on a Monday morning. Waking early was something he had not done since he was a child. The ring of an alarm was what woke him now that he had seemingly lost the ability to just wake up naturally before noon. But still, here he was at 5:45 am, staring at his ceiling like an idiot.

"_When you find something you love, you'll wake up everyday and wait for it."_

It was ridiculous, there was no way he even liked Haruhi, let alone loved her.

Well, maybe he thought of her as a good friend. She was nice and seemed to know more about him than most people could figure out.

But wasn't that just because she'd be skating with him? It was a rarity in itself for him to let someone skate with him. Was it because he liked her?

No, it was saving the club, and him, money. That was all.

"Why did I even let Tamaki talk me into having this ridiculous idea?"

"_Kyoya! I have this idea!" _

_Sitting at his desk Kyoya typed away on his laptop, "What is it this time Tamaki?"_

"_We should have a Saturday skating party for our guests! Special invite only I was thinking, the girls will love it and we can serve hot chocolate and-" Tamaki paused, noticing Kyoya looked, for the first time ever, shocked at his suggestion. _

"_Kyoya?"_

_The older boy shook his head, and went back to typing, "And where do you plan to hold this?"_

"_Doesn't your family own a skating rink? I remember your sister mentioning it one time."_

"_Yes…But I don't think everyone in the club knows how to skate so it won't-" Kyoya said quickly, trying to find away out of this. _

"_Oh no, I already asked, everyone but Haruhi knows how. And we can teach her anyway, plus her being a little unbalanced and new at skating will come across well with the ladies."_

_The shadow king found himself trapped, unable to think of a reason to throw out the idea. It was a good idea for once. With his rink available and top of the line, most of the rental cost and setup problems were gone. Haruhi's not being able to skate would come across well with her clients and it was a perfect way to begin the winter months. Damn. _

"_Ok then, I'll start setting it up."_

The whole idea had thrown him off so much that when he found Haruhi a teacher he didn't even think of finding a backup just incase. Carelessness had gotten him into this mess. And he had no clue what would get him out of it.

* * *

Today's lesson involved how to fall down properly.

"Especially if you're entertaining a guest, it's important you learn the basics of falling down on skates without hurting you or your partner." He explained.

Haruhi gasped as he grabbed her hands and guided her down so she landed softly one the ice.

"See if you had been unbalanced suddenly, instead of trying to catch you, and risk falling and hurting both of us, the best way if to just guild you down to the ice as softly as possible."

"Oh," She blushed for some reason, her hands still in his once again.

"Lets take a short break and than we'll work on getting back up," He said with a smile.

He pulled her up with one arm, but at the last second her skate slipped, and she fell back down to the ice so suddenly he didn't have a chance to react. Being pulled down along with her, he found himself on top of her, there hands interlocked in a position that was remarkably close to what it had been back at the beach.

"Haruhi? Are you ok?"

"I think so," She said, a slight pain in her voice.

"Good," And than, all rational thought having left his mind, he tilted his head down and kissed her.

* * *

Haruhi sat in class, confused. It's not everyday you get kissed. In a skating rink. By Kyoya. It seemed like an impossibility that he could even possibly like her, let alone just randomly kiss her like that.

She sighed, what had gotten into him? Wait, the real question would be, what had gotten into her?

"_Good," Haruhi felt his lips on hers, a slow, gentle kiss. His eyes closed until he drew his head back to stare at her. _

"_Wow," she said softly. _

"_Wow indeed," he muttered, looking shocked at his own action. _

_He started to make an attempt at standing back up when her hands reached around his neck, bringing him back down into another kiss. _

On ether side of her a twin poked her, waking her up from her inner flashback.

"Haruhi, are you even paying attention?" They said in unison, eyes full of concern, "Are those skating lessons tiring you out?"

She picked up a book, shoving it into her face, "I'm fine."

Liar, she thought to herself, these lessons will probably end up driving me insane.

Kyoya, in the second year class room, was suffering the same fate, but unlike Haruhi, was much better at covering it up.

He scribbled random things in his notebook as Tamaki blabbered on beside him.

He had kissed her.

She had kissed him back.

Gawd, what the hell did this mean? He must have been crazy to kiss her in the first place. Wait, he was. It was unplanned. He just saw her there and realized he had to kiss her. He didn't think it over, compare pros and cons. It was like some stranger, a strangely Tamaki like stranger, had taken over his body.

So he did like her?

No, that can't be right. And even if he did it couldn't work. His father would never approve of her. Let alone the other club members.

Well, Mori and Honey would. And in reality the twins couldn't bug him anymore than they already did. Tamaki… He'd get over it eventually. No, that wasn't the point.

Haruhi couldn't like him back.

But she had kissed him too. Did that mean she did?

He wished he could have figured this out when it had happened. But like usual, his security had appeared at the exact second they had broken apart for the second time to inform them they had to leave or they'd be late for school.

It didn't matter. He couldn't let it continue even if they both felt the same. The two were completely different. She was a commoner. He was rich enough to buy her apartment block a hundred times over.

His pencil broke and he swore silently, reaching into his bag for another.

"Kyoya, are you even listening to me?"

"Am I ever?" The second year replied to his best friend.

Tamaki pouted, "Why do you have to be so mean Mother?"

"I was born this way."

* * *

After school, the club went normally. All the girls were excited over the coming up skating party. In fact, it was so busy nether Kyoya or Haruhi had the chance to look at each other, let alone talk in private.

"Haruhi," Kyoya heard the twins ask from across the room as the last of the guests left, "How are skating lessons going?"

"Huh?" the girl asked, "Oh, they're going fine. I think I'm getting the hang of it. What do you think Kyoya?"

"What do I think about what?"

"My skating progress?"

He shut it laptop and turned to look at the three, "I have no opinion on it, seeing as I don't attend you lessons." He pushed up his glasses and stood up, walking over to see Tamaki and leaving no room for any other questions.

Haruhi stared at him as he walked away, wondering whether or not to be hurt by the fact he didn't want to admit he was teaching her.

Beside her the twins laughed, "Can you even imagine Kyoya getting up in time to go to a skating rink in the morning?" Hikaru asked.

"Not really," His twin answered, "I doubt Kyoya even skates anymore."

She turned to look at them, "Huh? Why do you say that?"

Hikaru looked at her, "Oh you didn't know? Kyoya used to be a very talented figure skater. It's not all that well known, since he quit before Tamaki moved here, but our mother makes figure skating outfits for the nation team. He was supposed to compete one year, but his father refused to let him. There was a big family might about it between his mother and his father, and later that year his mother died in a car accident."

"Car accident?"

They nodded, and before they could continue Kyoya spoke up from across the room.

"Well that's all for today, you can all leave," He opened his book, staring down at it as if reading, "Oh and Haruhi I need to have a word with you."

She sat down at a table as the others filed out, and Kyoya sat across from her.

"I would like it if you didn't mention that I'm teaching you from now on," He stated once they were alone.

"Okay," Haruhi replied, confused.

"The information would probably cause problems with Tamaki's concentration, which would result in lose of profit," He was glancing down at his notebook, not bothering to look at her, "That's all, you can go."

"Sempai, about this morning,"

"What about this morning?" He replied in a non caring voice.

Haruhi felt a pain in her chest, "That kiss-"

"That meant nothing Haruhi. You are a commoner, why would I have anything to do with you?" He cut her off, still not looking at her.

"But-" Haruhi felt tears coming to her eyes. It's not like she expected him to be all romantic and confess his undying love to her, but she had at least expected some sort of explanation.

Wait, why did rejection even hurt? It's not she liked him anyway.

"That's all Haruhi, now please get out of my sight, I have work to do still," He stared down at his book as if it was the most interesting thing he had ever read, trying to stop his hands from shaking.

Haruhi stood up and quickly ran out of the room, attempting to hold back her tears as she slammed the door behind her.

It was snowing as she walked through the streets. Her rage slowly overpowering her tears.

"I hate him!" Haruhi screamed, throwing her bag across the empty street, snow coating it almost as soon as it hit the ground. The same snow that was slowly coating her, "I hate him!"

She fell to the ground, punching the ground like a child having a temper tantrum, "I hate him. I hate his stupid smirk and his stupid glasses. I hate Kyoya Ohtori. I never liked him, I never wanted him."

Wiping away what was left of her tears she sobbed. Than why did she feel so broken?

Back in the club room Kyoya threw his book across the room, smashing a vase of flowers and a tea set.

"Gawd damnit!" He shouted.

He did like her. He'd just proven it to himself.

"How could I make her cry? What's wrong with me?"

It was for the best though. She didn't deserve to be mixed up in his life. It was too hard. She'd never be happy with him.

He slammed his fist into the wall, cursing. He didn't have to be so hard on her. He could have just been Kyoya and told her the truth.

Fixing his glasses he looked out the window, the snow reminding him of that morning so many years ago.

"_Someday you'll find someone who loves just Kyoya as much as I do."_

* * *

A/N: *dies* Wow, 6 pages on word, that was way more than I had planned on writing. Hopefully it makes sense. I know it seems really Shojo manga like for this quick of development. But this is how I roll. Don't be afraid to point out any spelling/grammar/typos that I've left in this chapter! And thank you so much for reading!


	5. Step 4: Getting Back Up

A/N: Time for another chapter! *cheers* chapter 5! That means I'm over halfway done! Thank you so much for the kind reviews, favs and alerts!

This is much shorter chapter than the last one (which I have no clue how I wrote) but yeah. Sorry about the wait, and thank you for reading! Enjoy.

* * *

Step 4: Getting Back Up

"Achoo"

Ranka Fujioka jumped. He had been home for no more than five minutes when he heard a sneeze from his daughter's room. Which was impossible, Haruhi had skating lessons at seven. And it was already, he turned to look at the clock on the kitchen wall, seven twenty.

"Achoo."

He stood up from his place at the table to walk to her room, sliding open the door and looking inside.

"Haruhi?"

She replied with a grunt.

"Don't you have skating today?" He asked, worried as he moved to turn on the light.

"No," She coughed, "I'm not going anymore."

He flipped on the light and almost jumped again in surprise. Her room was a mess of tissues, books and clothing. That alone was enough to tell him something was wrong. And the sight of his daughter, curled up in her bed, eyes blood shot and shivering, didn't help.

"Oh, Haruhi."

"I'm fine dad," She protested as he came to sit down beside her, checking her temperature, "It's just a little cold."

"It is not just a little cold!" He said, with a frown, "You have a fever."

He grabbed her more blankets and some tea, sitting down beside her bed, noting the soaking wet school uniform and book bag lying on the floor beside him.

"What happened?"

* * *

Kyoya sat on the bench at the park about a block from her house. She hadn't shown up for skating, and the limo driver told him she was sick.

"Sick or skipping?" He wondered allowed, looking up into the still dark morning sky, a light snowfall settling on his glasses.

He had come to see if she was ok. He wanted to make sure she was taken care of and safe. But when he had gotten to the door of her apartment he had froze.

How can he toss her aside and come running to her the next? How could he even explain his worry without admitting he did like her? Even as the main manager of the host club she owned money to, he didn't need to show up at 7:30 in the morning just because she was sick.

If he was worried he'd just phone her father.

He dug his cell out of his bag and quickly phoned the familiar number.

"Ranka, it's me. How is she?"

* * *

Haruhi hid her face in her pillows. Her father had been distracted by the phone and was in the kitchen talking to the other line in a low voice.

She stubbornly blamed him.

She blamed him for getting her so worked up. For causing her to break down and sit in the snow for two hours sobbing. She blamed him for her fever, and for the headache that came with it. He was the reason behind the mess she'd left coming home last night, and the trouble she was causing her father.

He should be in debit to her.

"Don't worry; I'll take care of her." She heard her father say in the other room before hanging up the phone and coming back into her room.

"That was Kyoya," He said softly, leaning against the door frame.

"Oh," She whispered into her pillow. Why would he phone, to laugh at her? To tell her about how he added to her debit for wasting his time?

"He said it's ok you missed the lesson, you'll just have to work harder tomorrow."

"I don't want to go tomorrow," She whispered.

"Haruhi?" Ranka asked, confused.

"I don't want to go tomorrow," She said louder, "Or ever. I never want go anywhere near him again…" She voice broke out into a sob, and she could feel the tears starting again.

"Oh Haruhi," he sat down beside her once again, pulling her up in his arms, "Tell daddy what happened."

So she did. She told him everything that had happened from the moment Tamaki had announced his stupid ice skating idea, to the second she had fallen asleep that night.

"Oh hunny," Her father said, wiping away her tears, "It's ok."

"No it's not!" she hiccupped, "Don't you get it? How can I look at him anymore? How do I go back to that rink and that club to his fake smiles and worry? He doesn't care about anyone but himself."

"Can I tell you something Haruhi?" Her father said, patting her on the back, "Sometimes people have a hard time showing others that they care about them. Sometimes they can't admit it because they're scared."

"Dad?"

"I thought you were the type of girl to never give up on what you wanted? Why are you suddenly giving up on something? It's not like you at all."

"He doesn't like me. He doesn't even care about me."

"What to know a secret Haruhi? Kyoya didn't call to talk about your missing the lesson."

"Huh?"

"I've never heard the boy seem so worried about someone. All he wanted to know is if you were safe." He smiled a little, "If that's not caring about you, than the definition of the word caring must have changed since I was young."

* * *

Kyoya closed his phone with a sigh, pulling off his glasses to rub his eyes. It had been along time since he had really watched the sun come up.

"_Your father just doesn't understand, that's all." She said softly, frowning as she drove the car through the empty morning streets, "Or maybe it's because he does."_

"_How could that be mother? He doesn't let me do anything I love to do. You have to sneak me out of the house just to skate," A little Kyoya said with a pout from the passenger set, "I just want him to be proud of me."_

"_You're smart," She replied, "To smart for you age. And he knows it. He's scared."_

"_Scared?" He snorted, "What could father ever be scared of?" _

"_That he'll lose you to what you love. He's scared you'll give up on business, on being his son."_

"_So he'll take away everything I love just to ensure I become a proper Ohtori?" he looked over at her, eyes wide and not hidden behind frames yet. _

"_He can't take away everything you love Kyoya," She smiled at him, "He can never take away me, no matter how hard he tries. You don't always have to be an Ohtori son my dear. Sometimes it's ok to just be Kyoya."_

"_But mother, what if father doesn't like just Kyoya, what if no one does?" He questioned, staring out the window. _

"_Someday you'll find someone who loves just Kyoya as much as I do."_

_He turned to look at his mother and saw lights. Heard the crunch of metal and the gasp of his mother's last breath. _

_It was snowing as he sat in the back of the ambulance. A light snow falling from the sky as the morning sun rose slowly. _

_His left eye was bandaged, the doctors would later say he would never regain perfect vision and glasses would be bought to fix the problem. His ankle was sprained, his arm broken and everything he loved was suddenly gone._

* * *

A/N: and that's another chapter done and done. I was originally going to leave it at Ranka's last sentence, but I thought it was too short and not enough Kyoya. *edited: just added in the lines which i forgot when i originally uploaded*

Thank you for reading, please feel free to review! Thank you all for reading!


	6. Step 5: Marching across the ice

A/N: Once again, I'd like to thank EVERYONE for the reviews, favs and alerts! Sorry about taking so long with the chapter, coming back from the depression that was last chapter was a little harder than I thought it would be. Plus the x-mas season (shopping, preparing for my flight home, decorating, planning my xmas fanfic), school and swimming are getting in my way. *darn me, having a life*

Well enough from me, let's get to the chapter! Enjoy!

* * *

Step 5: Marching across the ice

6:00 am.

He really hated seeing that time on his clock.

Shutting off the alarm, he took a moment to lie in thought. What was the point of even getting up? It was improbable that Haruhi would show for her lesson.

He reached over to his nightstand in search for his glasses. Covering for Haruhi hadn't been hard, but convincing the rest of the club it wasn't a good idea to go visit her wasn't.

"_But MOTHER!" Tamaki protested, "Our Haruhi is sick! We must go give her chicken noodle soup and comfort her back to health! She could be dieing as we speak!"_

"_I rather doubt that Tamaki…" He replied with a sigh, "I have specific orders from Ranka that no one, and by that I include you Tamaki, is allowed to come over today. She has a fever and needs rest, not some lunatic jumping all over her."_

"_But Kyoya, maybe if we just went over with one cake…" Hunny said a sparkle in his eye not many could ignore._

_Luckily, Kyoya was one of the people who could, and Mori quickly dragged the shorter third year out the door with a grunt of "She needs her rest."_

_The twins were a lot more difficult to stop, and in the end he just threatened to place his security force around her house (something he had already done) and make sure they know what they all look like. _

Truthfully, he had gotten a call around eight last night, informing him that three shady figures were found sneaking around Haruhi's apartment, and that they had all been returned to their respected mansions with a warning.

Getting out of bed, for the fifth day in a row, way before his body wanted to be awake, he stumbled to the bathroom. She probably hated him more than he hated mornings. If she did show up it would only be to spit in his face and tell him to go to hell. In fact, the chances of his going well at all were very low.

He shouldn't have kissed her. It was a mess he wasn't going to be able to easily get himself out of without a struggle.

But hey, any mess was worth a kiss with Haruhi. Two kisses really. Even if it meant her hating him forever, right?

He sighed, running through the possibilities of today, why Haruhi hadn't learned to skate wouldn't be as easy as pie to explain to the club without giving anything away. So her not showing again would not be good. At the same time, her showing up didn't look too good either. In fact, he could only calculate a 5 percent chance of this day ending well.

He cursed himself, turning on the shower. He was Kyoya Ohtori; a commoner like her should not be able to ruin anything for him. What was he thinking; a five percent chance meant he had a chance at least. And with his connections, and a lot of blackmail, five would easily become ninety-five.

Though even with his personal pep talk, he wasn't convinced. Maybe he should just go back to sleep for the rest of the day.

But who would Kyoya be if he backed down now?

"You're sure you'll be ok?" Ranka asked as his only daughter made her way to the door. He had taken the day off so he could watch her fever, but she seemed to have gotten over it rather fast.

"I'll be fine dad." Haruhi sighed, pulling on her gloves.

"You always are," he said standing to give her a hug, "Don't give up dear."

She smiled, pulling away, "I never do."

The first thing Haruhi noticed when she got onto the ice was Kyoya.

The first thing Kyoya noticed when he turned around was Haruhi.

How he was wearing his glasses.

How she was wearing that shirt he loved.

The fact that he seemed cold again, like he'd put back on his mask.

The fact that she moved with determination, unfazed by her day off.

And the fear that what she was about to do would fail horrible.

And the fear that he'd lose his mind.

"Well, we're behind because of your little day off," He said, the familiar glint of his glasses hiding his eyes from her, "So a lot of his will be a little rushed."

"Why are you like that sempai?" She asked suddenly, looking him straight in the eyes.

"Like what Haruhi?" He asked, as they began to practice her movements, slowly skating circles around each other.

"Like you're not even human." She replied, trying her best to keep balanced, "Like you're just a machine meant to bark out commands and be your own little business."

He paused to push up his glasses, his voice lowering, "Have you ever thought that maybe that's what I want to be Miss. Fujioka?"

"What to be what?" Their circle grew bigger, as they moved like fencers, ready to face off, "A robot?"

"A business man. My father's son," His voice grew from its low growl, "Successful with no attachments and useless emotions like love."

"That's a lie," She nearly cried, "No one can live their life without love."

"Well I do." He shouted, "I don't have anything to love."

She stared down at the ice, slowing to a stop, her voice barely a whisper, "Than why don't you find something new to love?"

"Because." He looked at her across the ice, and for once his glasses didn't hide his eyes as he replied softly, "Because he'd only take it away again."

They returned to the lesson, tensions high.

She'd never heard Kyoya really yell like that before. More proof to her he was more than just the Ohtori he claimed to be.

There was silence for what seemed like an eternity to Kyoya, only broken by his short pointers on her skating, and her small replies. He'd lost his cool already. It wasn't like him at all. He was cool, calm, collected. He did not yell things about love in the middle of a skating rink at a commoner.

Or course, he didn't kiss the same commoner in the same rink either.

"What did you used to love?" She said softly, breaking the silence.

He blinked, taken back, "I used to love my mother. And because of her I loved skating."

"So why did you stop?"

"She died," He said simply, not daring to look at her.

The silence returned. Lasting the remainder of the lesson, and through the entire day.

She fidgeted in class, ignoring the twins and not even hearing the teacher.

"_I __thought you were the type of girl to never give up on what you wanted?"  
_

She had made it into one of Japan's best high schools on her own. She overcame the facts of her birth into the middle class and made it to the world of the rich.

"_You are a commoner, why would I have anything to do with you?"_

Commoners don't attend Ouran. Commoners aren't friends with people from some of the world's most powerful families. Commoners don't spend the holidays being flown all over the place in private jets. They don't end up at private beaches.

"I am not just a commoner," she told herself quietly as classes were let out, "I am Haruhi Fujioka. And I never give up."

Kyoya just didn't go to class. He had told the nurse he felt faint, and was currently lying on one of the infirmary beds.

He had intended to take a short nap to make up for his lack of sleep the past five nights. But he couldn't seem to do it, not with her words ringing in his ears.

"_Like you're not even human. Like you're just a machine meant to bark out commands and be your own little business."_

Numbers, stocks and business was all he knew. His father had spent a lot of money making sure he did. Numbers listened to you for the most part. He could move them about as he wanted. But after awhile they become boring, and people become the new numbers. When had he started seeing people as nothing more than dollar signs?

"_No one can live their life without love."_

Maybe not, but he had minimized it at least. He loved Tamaki like a brother, since he was more of a brother than his own were. He loved his sister, but she had her own life to live. The little love he did show was carefully disguised in the things he did for them, things that usually resulted in profit, or had merit attached.

"_He can never take away me, no matter how hard he tries."_

He thought about his mother words. What a lie that was. Even if his father hadn't caused it, he had still proved his point. You can't fight an Ohtori and win. If love takes you away from your business, the business will drag you back.

He couldn't just let her come into that type of world.

Sighing he rolled out of the bed. It was almost time for club hours, and it was time he faced the silence.

When you're all alone like he was, hiding under his mask, it seems to be just you and the silence.

But when host club ended and once again Haruhi found herself the last person to leave the club save the shadow king, she broke it.

"I like you." She said, stopped halfway through the door, turning around to look at him, determination in her eyes.

"What was that ?" He asked from his seat at his usual table, where he sat typing gawd knows what. His cold exterior still in place, and she almost feared she'd cry again.

"I like you," She said louder, taking a step closer to him, "I like you as more than a friend, Kyoya-Sempai."

He stopped typing, and turned his head to look at her, "Oh really?"

"I like you and I know you like me too," She nearly shouted, shaking madly and taking another few steps closer, "Even if you attempt to hide behind your glasses"

"Oh," He stood up and took a step in her direction, "And how would you know that Miss Fujioka?"

He took a few more steps, until he was little than a foot away from her, "How would you know anything about what I feel?"

"Because of this," She said, taking a breath and grabbing his skull, bringing him down as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him, "I know this is real."

His mask cracked.

He looked down at her, as she kept his head in her hands and her face just inches away.

"This will never work," He whispered, their lips moving close again and the crack in his mask grew, "The club would never accept it."

"I don't care," Her lips brushed his again.

"I'll only make you miserable." He resisted the urge to kiss her again, his mask crumbled.

"Stop making excuses and kiss me."

And as the last bits of the mask that was the Ohtori fell, he did.

* * *

A/N: That ending was so OOC, but I don't care. *is shot* Sorry for the shortness, but yeah. I MIGHT be doing a bonus chapter to go with this one, so look out for it. The next 3 chapters are going to be rather long, so I'll probably do it while I'm writing them.

When i finisned this it was about 500 words lighter, but i thought it felt really empty. So yeah.

But it's almost 2am and I have school at 7am, and my wrists are killing me. So I must be off.

Thank you so much for reading!


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